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Program Gives Away Skateboards In Tampa Neighborhoods

Chris Urso/Tribune

Skatepark of Tampa employees (from left) Jeff Lako, John Gow and Alex Bowers assemble skateboards.

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By SARAH HOYE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2008

TAMPA - Santa Claus will roll into some neighborhoods a little bit early this year.

On Saturday, he'll deliver skateboards to kids in the Perry Harvey Park area.

To help out, volunteer elves — disguised as employees of Skatepark of Tampa and some former skaters — assembled the skateboards Thursday night.

Skatepark of Tampa collects new and used boards, wheels, trucks and bearings throughout the year and refurbishes the equipment for its annual Boards for Bro's program. In November, an art show fundraiser brought in $2,000, which was used to purchase more parts needed to complete the boards. Organizers hosted Thursday's "assembly party" to ready the boards for the weekend.

Skaters have dubbed the concrete slab at Perry Harvey Park the "Bro Bowl" for its location in a mostly black neighborhood a short walk from the former Central Park Village public housing. A bowl is a depression in the ground used for skating.

Boards for Bro's got its start in 2006, when Skatepark of Tampa general manager Ryan Clements, volunteer and skater Ed Womble, and skateboard manufacturer Paul Schmitt had a conversation about giving back to the community.

"For me, skateboarding has been the only constant in my life," Clements said over the grind of an electric drill. "When things were tough, I'd focus on skating. They're our little bros, and our whole thing was to give kids something to do. If we can pass that gift [of skating] on, it's worth it."

Skatepark of Tampa gave away 30 boards that year, and 180 in 2007. Organizers estimate they'll give away 225 boards at this year's event.

Beginning at noon Saturday, Santa and Skatepark employees will drive from neighborhood to neighborhood to deliver the boards. The delivery route includes Desoto Park (2617 Corrine St.), Perry Harvey Park (900 E. Scott St.) and a possible third location to be determined.

"Ryan's not making any money off of this, and these are all volunteers," Womble said as he spray-painted Skatepark of Tampa's logo on boards. "But it all pays off on one Saturday a year. The looks on the faces when we pull up is priceless."

A new, quality skateboard averages from $80 to $120, a price tag that can be cost prohibitive in this economy.

"It's very rewarding to know that something I love to do can be used to give back to someone less fortunate than I am," said Jorge Angel, executive assistant at Skatepark of Tampa. "I think it's a very creative way to give back to the community."

Local skateboarders came together in 2006 when they learned of a plan to renovate Harvey Park and tear down the Bro Bowl, which opened in 1979 and gained national attention in a Tony Hawk video game.

Skatepark of Tampa, founded by 36-year-old Brian Schaefer in 1993, was featured on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," when the organization donated skateboards to the Tate family of Davis Islands, who lost their home in a plane crash into it. The facility is home to a winter amateur competition and a spring professional competition in which the winner rolls away with $100,000.

Donate your new or used skateboard parts to the Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Drive. Call (813) 621-6793 or go to www.boardsforbros.com.

Reporter Sarah Hoye can be reached at (813) 259-7832.

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